Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-12
NEWS OF THE DAY.
Rumored Sale Of the b. 4 9th,
British Dock Yards Treachery
Denfed-Beecher's Funeral.
WARRINGTON NEWS NOTES.

WASHINGTON NEWS NOTES.
A Hitch Somewhere-That English Fore
man Matter-New Gold Fields, ETC.
WASHINGTON, March 9.-The Agriculture
Colleges are flying their flags. and peopl
who are especially interested in them ar
rejoicing in consequence of the passage 0
the Experiment Station bill; but aquestio,
has arisen which would appear to indicat
that the demonstrations are premature
The fifth section Of the bill, the only on,
relating to appropriations, says: The sun
of SIS, 900 is hereby appropriated to eacl
State. to be specially provided for by Con
eress in appropriations from year to yea,
from sales of public lands I
., the first payment to be made on tn,
| first day OF October, 1887. This singular
phraseoloey is held to be an appropriatin,
| clause, but a close inspection of it hat
given rise to doubt the weight o.
unofficial opinion being that no money il
| appropriated. II this is sustained by the
aut horities the beginning of the new work
will be delayed until Congress acts further
Relative to the reported dismissal OF the
foreman in the English naval workshops
at Chatham for selling information OF plane
OF vessels, t"rpedoes, ETC., to this Govern.
ment. it is said at the Navy Department
that, SO far as this Government is con.
cerned, there is absolutely no truth in the
charge. In this connection the fact ie
really that Captain Hichborne published a
work about q year ago on the British
docks and dock yards. which. it was said
contained informa tion furnished to him in
confidence, and not for publication. Sub.
sequently, the author explained the facts
satisfactorily. but it is possible that the
discharge Of the foreman just reported is
the result of Captain Hichborne's publica.
ton.
Vice Consul Knight reports to the Depart.
ment OF State concerning the Transvaal
gold fields that the wonderful Shelba reel
has been eclipsed by another reef, dis.
covered last summer and known as
''Thomts reef'' from which samples Of
quartz weighing 3, ,OoO pounds. it is claimed,
yielded l49 ounces OF gold. These discov-
cries naturally gave an impetus to pros
pecting on large scale, resulting in the dis
covery of marvelously extensive and rich
gold quartz veins. The Vice Consul
making inquiries and from tho best
information obtainable that the Trans
vaal fields when fully developed will
prove among the richest in the
world. Recent discoveries have naturally
given rise to no end OF
speculation and mining ventures. and a
great rush OF capitalists, miners and
adventures has set in. The field near
shelba Reef City, Barberton, has sprung
up as if by magic. numbering already Z 900
to 5000 people. and is rapidly increasing.
The report concludes by captioring persons
without means not to venture into the
gold country unless they be thoroughly
practical miners, as the conditions existing
are very hard and many will be doomed to
bitter disappointment.
Officers of the Ordnance Corps are very
much gra titled with the performance with
the eght-inch steel rifle, now being tested at
Sandy Hook. This gun was built at West
Point foundry, of English and domestic
steel. Thirty test rounds have been fired,
and the trials will be continued during the
summer, with shot weighing 289 pounds,
and a charge Of American brown powder.
The initial velocity of the projectile was
distance of ZOO yards was equal to Z, 900
foot tons. General Bennett says these re-
suits have been carefully compared with
the records OF trials of new navy guns. and
Krupp, English and French guns of the
same calibre, and establish the fact that
the army eight-inch steel rifle is fully equal
to the naval gun, and better than the guns
of corresponding calibre made by foreign
manufacturers.
Touching the failure OF Congress to pass
the Fertilization Appropriation bill, Cen
eral Bennett. Chief of Ordnance, to-day
said that the result is to leave the fortifi-
ca ton and ordnance works in q worse
shape than they were after the adjourn
there were a few fag ends Of appropriations
available, but now the Ordnance Bureau
and Engineer Corps must come to a full
stop SO far as concerning the construction
of guns and fortifcations. 1.-THE Engineer
Corps" said the General, has about Sur
rendered it's military functions and has
been resolved into a body Of civilians, de-
voting all it's time to river and harbor i'm
provements. Two twelve inch rife cannon
of cast iron, strengthened with steel, have
been lying for months incomplete at the
South Boston shops. Congress having
failed to reappropriate a sufficient sum OF
money out OF the amount already author
lied to be expended to put them in service
able condition" There is no expectation
among ordnance officers that Congress will
pass the fortiication appropriation bill
before the closing day of the next Congress,
and during the next fifteen months there
will be no funds available to pay even
fortifcation with. ut the garrison.
Second Comptroller Maynard in disal.
lowing the claim Of j. B. Selby for addi-
tional compensation for services rendered
as pension agent at Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
from Augusta, 1868. to June 80, 1866,
lays down the general principle that, under
the law. the maximum limit OF compensa-
tion to pension agents is $4,000 per year
and that the allowance over that amount
provided in the act of June 80, 1864, to
wit: $500 to agents disbursing over
$50. 900 annually and $3.50 for each ad-
ditional $4,000 disbursed. apply only to
clerk hire, rent and other necessary ex-
penses.
The President tu-day directed the
removal OF James Bowie, Collector OF Gus.
toms at Parkersburg, Virginia, and
John Meshaw, Supervising Inspector OF
Steam Vessels for the Third district, which
includes the Atlantic coast from Cape
Charles, Virginia, to the extreme end OF
Florida. The latter has twice been sus-
pended from the Office and then restored to
duty because OF the failure of the Senate to
act on the nomination OF his successor
Ia making these removals the President
mas TAKEN hQVduUaSe. tOT Cuc uIoC CluII, VI
the repeal of the tenure OF office act.
Although Secretary Manning g resignation
does not take effect until the first proximo,
he virtually severed his connection with
the department this afternoon. In accord
ance with his expressed wish. there was no
formal leave taking, but a very few officials
who knew of his COM 'emplated departure,
the opportunity to call and say
: good bye" He was presented with
handsome floral design by the messengers
to his Office.
Mr.. Manning will leave Washington to.
morrow for short visit to New York and
Albany prior to his departure for Europe.
He is suffering with a severe cold, but
otherwise his health shows no impairment
since his return to duty, Acting Secretary
Fairchild is still regarded as his most likely
successor.
The Democratic members OF Congress
and others who have access to President,
and means of knowledge OF the subject, do